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| Obstet Gynecol, 1978 Jan, 51(1 Suppl), 14s - 15s Clostridial myonecrosis of the postpartum uterus with radiologic diagnosis; Patchell RD; A case of clostridial uterine infection following prolonged labor and vaginal delivery is presented . Uterine myonecrosis with gas formation was diagnosed by radiologic studies . Antimicrobial therapy with megadosage penicillin was initiated and total abdominal hysterectomy performed . Three episodes of cardiac arrest occurred during surgery . Resuscitation was carried out with recovery. Acta Derm Venereol, 1978, 58(3), 197 - 202 Enzymatic liberation of viable cells of human skin; Hentzer B et al.; To obtain viable cells from normal human skin, clostridial collagenase was used . Crude collagenase digestion of collagen fibres and basal lamina results in free dermal cells and sheets of epidermis . The collagenase was tested at various concentrations, solvents and incubation periods . The specimens digested were either split or full thickness skin of varying size . The optimal result was obtained by using small (3mm across) split skin pieces incubated in 2 mg/ml collagenase . The choice of solvent MEM, MEM supplemented with serum, and Tris buffer, was less important . 3 hours' incubation the epidermis was peeled off in sheets and finally dissociated by trypsin-EDTA . The corium was completely digested after 6 hours . After 6 hours' incubation no viable cells could be seen . The epidermal cells appeared mainly as polygonal cells of various sizes and a few little dendritic cells . The dermal cells had a heterogeneous morphology during the first weeks of cultivation . After 2 weeks the cells appeared as fibroblast-like cells. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl, 1978, (13), 27 - 32 beta-lactamases in bacteroides; Nord CE et al.; Bacteroides fragilis is responsible for most anaerobic infections in man . Most isolates of B . fragilis show resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics . This resistance might be due to beta-lactamase production or permeability barrier in the cell wall . B . fragilis produce beta-lactamase with mainly cephalosporinase activity . Other Bacteroides species such as B . clostridiformis, B . melaninogenicus and B . oralis also produce beta-lactamase but with different biochemical characteristics. JAMA, 1977 Aug 22, 238(8), 882 - 3 Monoplace hyperbaric oxygen therapy for gas gangrene; Fowler DL et al.; Untreated gas gangrene is a fulminating infection that can lead to extensive tissue necrosis and death . Hyperbaric oxygen, when used with antibiotics and surgical debridement, can lead to decreased mortality . Nine patients with gas gangrene proven by positive clostridial cultures have been treated at St Luke's Hospital of Kansas City with a mortality of 11.1% . A case of gas gangrene developing from a perirectal abscess is presented. Diabetologia, 1977 Aug, 13(4), 373 - 6 Non-clostridial gas gangrene in the diabetic lower limb; Bird D et al.; Three cases of non-clostridial gas gangrene in diabetic lower limbs are reported . This rare condition occurs only in diabetes with peripheral neuropathy and is invariably fatal unless treated surgically . The clinical picture is deceptive with a slow, but insidiously progressive course, and the late appearance of skin necrosis . Antibacterial therapy is ineffective in preventing death . A serious delay may be fostered by inconclusive bacteriological investigations . Urgent radical amputation is required to save the patient's life. J Bioeng, 1977 Aug, 1(3), 231 - 8 Enzyme-accelerated hydrolysis of polyglycolic acid; Williams DF et al.; In a preliminary study of the enzyme-polymer interactions, the role of 15 enzymes in the in vitro hydrolysis of polyglycolic acid has been investigated . Carboxypeptidase A, alpha-chymotrypsin, clostridiopeptidase A and ficin increase the rate of hydrolysis of this synthetic polymer, illustrating the ability of enzymes to influence polymer degradation. J Biol Chem, 1977 Jul 25, 252(14), 4855 - 60 PZ-peptidase from chick embryos . Purification, properties, and action on collagen peptides; Morales TI et al.; PZ-peptidase is an endopeptidase that cleaves the synthetic substrate developed for clostridial collagenase, 4-phenylazobenzyloxycarbonyl-L-Pro-L-Leu-Gly-L-Pro-D-Arg (PZ-peptide) . The peptidase has been purified to homogeneity from chicken embryos . The enzyme has a pH optimum of 7.5 to 8.5, and isoelectric point of 5.0, and a molecular weight of 77,000 . The kinetic parameters at pH 8 and 37 degrees are: Km = 2 X 10(-4) M and Vmax = 4.2 mumol/min/mg of protein . The enzyme is inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (100%), N-ethylmaleimide (60%), and chelating agents (40 to 60%) . Maximum activity is attained in the presence of reducing agents and Ca2+, Sr2+, or Mg2+ . The peptidase has no detectable action on casein, serum albumin, collagen, collagen alpha chains, various collagen peptides (alpha1)(I)-CB2, alpha1(I)-CB3, alpha1(I)-CB4), (Gly-Pro-Pro)10, or (Gly-Pro-Pro)5 . It does catalyze the hydrolysis of the Hyp--Gly bond in the 17-residue collagen peptide alpha1(II)-CB6-C2 and it partially digested a mixture of collagen peptides of molecular weight 350 to 2500 . A role of this peptidase in collagen breakdown appears to be restricted to a late stage when degradation products would fall in the range of 5 to 30 residues. Strahlentherapie, 1977 Apr, 153(4), 263 - 6 {Intensification of the oncolysis by clostridia by means of radio-frequency hyperthermy in experiments on animals--dependence on dosage and on intervals (author's transl)}; Dietzel F et al.; The effect of a local pretreatment by radio-frequency hyperthermy upon the capability of germination and, hence, upon the oncolysis by intravenously given spores of oncolytic clostridia (M55) was tested with 2305 NMRI-mice carrying neck tumors . Using two different experimental tumors (Ehrlich adenocarcinoma and Harding-Passey-melanoma) it is possible to show the dependence of the intensification on the thermic dose . Additionally, there is a distinct dependence of the extent of oncolysis on the time interval between the hyperthermy treatment and the administration of clostridia . The intensification effect in both the tumors is mostly marked twelve hours after hyperthermy . The rapidly growing Ehrlich adenocarcinoma regenerates more quickly than the slowly growing Harding-Passey-melanoma . A period of 12 hours between hyperthermy and injection of clostridia represents a favourable interval for the timing of slowly as well as of rapidly growing tumors. Macromolecules, 1977 Mar-Apr, 10(2), 305 - 16 Statistical mechanical treatment of protein conformation . 6 . Elimination of empirical rules for prediction by use of a high-order probability . Correlation between the amino acid sequences and conformations for homologous neurotoxin proteins; Tanaka S et al.; One-dimensional short-range interaction models for specific-sequence copolymers of amino acids have been developed in this series of papers . In this paper, a general method for predicting protein conformation (that is based on a one-dimensional short-range interaction model, and eliminates the need for the empirical rules introduced in papers III and IV) is described . The present method involves the use of conformational (or conformational-sequence) probabilities of higher order than the first- or second-order probabilities used in papers IV and V, i.e., it treats a sequence of any number of residues; it thus alters the predictive methods that involved empirical rules in papers III and IV, and low-order (first- or second-order) probabilities in papers IV and V . The general method is applied here to the prediction of the backbone conformations of proteins, using the three-state model {helical (h), extended (epilson), and other coil (c) states} proposed in the theoretical formulation of paper II . The statistical weights in the three-state model are evaluated from the atomic coordinates of the x-ray structures of 26 proteins . The conformational-sequence probabilities (taken for three consecutive residues for numerical computation in this paper) are calculated for all possible triads (i.e., for all possible combinations of the three states, h, epilson, and c for each residue) for bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and clostridial flavodoxin, in order to select the most probable conformations of these proteins . The predicted results for these proteins are compared to those predicted in paper III and to those observed experimentally . The method is applied further to the prediction of the backbone structures of homologous neurotoxin proteins whose amino acid sequences are known but whose x-ray structures are not . The effects of variation in the amino acid sequence on the conformations of the backbones are discussed from the point of view of the homologies in the amino acid sequences of 19 neurotoxins . Application of the present general predictive method to a four- and a multistate model is also described. Biochem J, 1977 Mar 1, 161(3), 527 - 34 Human collagen 'fingerprints' produced by clostridopeptidase A digestion and high-pressure liquid chromatography; van Der Rest M et al.; Samples (1-2mg) of purified human type I, II and III collagens and alpha1(I) and alpha2 chains were digested with clostridiopeptidase A and the released peptides analysed by ion-exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography . Specific 'fingerprints' were produced for each type of collagen . The reproducible nature of these 'fingerprints' and the reconstitution of the type I 'fingerprint' from the 'fingerprints' of the component alpha1(I) and alpha2 chains showed that the specificity of these 'fingerprints' was related to the primary structure of each type of collagen . In addition, some of the differences observed between the 'fingerprints' of the alpha1(I) and alpha2 chains of type I collagen were shown to be suitable for the quantitative analysis of these chains. Eur J Biochem, 1977 Mar 1, 73(2), 617 - 25 Intramolecularly-quenched fluorescent peptides as fluorogenic substrates ofleucine aminopeptidase and inhibitors of clostridial aminopeptidase; Carmel A et al.; Fluorogenic oligopeptide derivatives of the type Lys(ABz)-ONBzl, where ABz iso-aminobenzoyl (anthraniloyl), X stands for Ala Phe, or Ala-Ala, and ONBzlis p-nitrobenzyloxy, were synthesized and shown to be hydrolyzed by leucine aminopeptidase . The hydrolysis is accompanied by an increase in fluorescence due to disruptionof the intramolecular quenching of the fluorescent anthraniloyl moiety by the nitrobenzyester group . The spectral characteristics of the compounds are not consistent withan energy transfer mechanism according to Forster, therefore the quenching isassumed to be caused by a direct encouter between the quenching and the fluorecentgroups . The change in fluorescence that accompanies the enzymic hydrolysis ofthe first peptide bound was used for quantitative measurement of the activity ofthe activity of leucine aminopeptidase and for the determination of some of itskinetic parameters . A bacterial aminopeptidase from Clostrdium histolyticumthat is very similar to leucine aminopeptidase in its substrate specificity inits substrate specificity did not hydrolyze the above peptidederivatives . Thehydrolysis of leucine p-nitroanilide by this enzyme was found to be inhibitedby the three peptides and the corresponding inhibition constants were determined. J Dairy Sci, 1977 Feb, 60(2), 294 - 9 Proposed calfhood immunization program for the commercial dairy herd; Smith PC; Immunization programs never will usurp the central role of sound management practices and good nutrition in the disease prevention program of the commercial dairy operation . However, certain immunizations against diseases such as brucellosis, leptospirosis, and clostridial infections should be routine . Other diseases such as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine virus diarrhea, parainfluenza-3, colibacillosis, and pasteurellosis should be considered if it can be determined that the herd is infected chronically . The present knowledge of other disease conditions, vaccine effectiveness and safety makes the use of vaccines for other diseases of questionable value. Vet Rec, 1977 Jan 29, 100(5), 90 - 1 Clostridial myositis in cattle: bacteriology and gross pathology; Williams BM; In a bacteriological study of 173 cases of clostridial myositis in cattle, Cl chauvoei either alone or with Cl septicum was demonstrated in 97 (56 %)min a further 62 (36%) cases Cl novyi was demonstrated either alone or with Cl septicum . On 11 (6%) occasions Cl septicum only was recovered, and on another three 1-7%) Cl sordelli only . The gross pathology of the lesions was correlated with the bacteriological findings, and prophylaxis in relation to the infections identified is discussed. Zentralbl Bakteriol Parasitenkd Infektionskr Hyg, 1977, 132(4), 345 - 9 Studies on the rhizosphere and rhizoplane microflora of common-bean and barley; Taha MI et al.; Both broad bean and barley plants stimulated bacteria (total), N-fixing clostridia, Azotobacter ammonifiers, and aerobic cellulose-decomposers in their rhizosphere zone . The rhizosphere effects were generally positive until the 8th week of either plant growth . However, the rhizosphere effect differed according to type of plant, growth phase of each single plant, and type of micro-organism under study . The presence of high numbers of micro-organisms in the rhizoplane samples (washed ruptured roots) of each plant supports the evidence that roots of these plants are colonized with soil micro-organisms. Zentralbl Chir, 1977, 102(3), 129 - 38 {Gas and oedema producing infections--today still a challenge (author's transl)}; Schmauss AK et al.; Clostridial infections, putrid infections with aerobic and anerobic growing germs, air forced into the tissue during the primary trauma and the formation of gas by contact of the wound with aluminium, H2O2 and gasoline may be causes for the formation of gas and oedema in the tissues . Only infections with Clostridia are gas gangrene . We must differentiate the clostridial cellulitis from the clostridial myositis . Bacterioscopy allows a rapid differentiation to be made between putrid and clostridial infection . Beside intensive care and antibiotics, putrid infections demand an early extensive incision, for gas gangrene the radical excision of the damaged tissue is required . The effect of hyperbaric oxygenation is still under discussion . It can never replace surgical treatment. Macromolecules, 1977 Jan-Feb, 10(1), 9 - 20 Statistical mechanical treatment of protein conformation . 5 . A multistate model for specific-sequence copolymers of amino acids; Tanaka S et al.; One-dimensional short-range interaction models for specific-sequence copolymers of amino acids have been developed in this series of papers . In the present paper, a multistate model (involving right-handed helical (hR), extended (epsilon), chain-reversal (R and S), left-handed helical (hL), right-handed bridge-region (zota R), left-handed bridge-region (zota L), and coil (or other) (c) states) is developed for the prediction of protein backbone conformation . This model involves ten parameters (WhR, UPSILONHR, V epsilon, VR, VS, WhL, VhL, U zota R, U zota L, and Uc) and requires a 10X10 statistical weight matrix . Assuming that the left-handed helical sequence cannot occur in proteins, this 10X10 matrix can be reduced to a 9X9 matrix with nine parameters (WhR, VhR, V epsilon, VR, VS, VhL, U zota R, U zota L, and Uc) . A nearest neighbor approximation of this multistate model is also formulated; with the omission of left-handed helical sequences, and the inclusion of the left-handed bridge region in the c state, this approximate model requires a 7X7 matrix with statistical weights WhR, VhR, VS, VhL, U zota R, and Uc, expressed as values relative to the statistical weight of the epsilon state . The statistical weights for the multistate model are evaluated from the atomic coordinates of the X-ray structures of 26 native proteins . These statistical weights and the multistate model are applied in the prediction of the backbone conformations of proteins . The conformational probabilities of finding a residue in hR, epsilon, R, S, hL, zota R, or c states, defined as relative values with respect to their average values over the whole molecule, are calculated for bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and clostridial flavodoxin, in order to select the most probable conformation for each residue of these proteins . The predicted results are compared to experimental observations and are discussed together with the reliability of the statistical weights . In the Appendix, the property of asymmetric nucleation of helical sequences is introduced into the (nearest neighbor) multistate model. Chemotherapy, 1977, 23(1), 25 - 31 Bactericidal activity of tinidazole . An in vitro comparison of the effects of tinidazole and metronidazole against Bacteroides fragilis and other Anaerobic bacteria; Jokipii AM et al.; The new antiprotozoal agent, tinidazole, was found to be bactericidal against all 52 isolates of obligate anaerobic bacteria tested, 42 Bacteroides fragilis, 4 clostridia and 6 peptostreptococci . The minimum bactericidal concentrations of tinidazole for B . fragilis ranged from 0.25 to 4 mug/ml, and those of metronidazole from 0.25 to 8 mug/ml, i.e . several times lower than the serum concentrations achievable after oral administration . In most cases the MIC was identical with MBC or half of it . On the average, tinidazole was slightly more effective against B . fragilis than metronidazole . Although essentially the activities of the two drugs were positively correlated, there was a fourfold difference in their MBC for 10 of the 42 B . fragilis. Acta Derm Venereol, 1977, 57(5), 379 - 87 Degradation of dermal fibrillar structures: effects of collagenase, elastase, dithioerythritol and citrate; Kobayasi T et al.; Clostridial collagenase, elastase, medium material of human skin culture, dithioerythritol and citrate buffer, pH 3.5, were applied to fresh human skin specimens . Phenomena of degradation of dermal fibrils were observed by electron microscopy. Ann Anesthesiol Fr, 1977, 18(10), 825 - 30 {Current aspects of gas gangrene, apropos of 47 cases collected over a 3-year period (1974-1976)}; Wattel F et al.; On the basis of 47 cases of gas gangrene collected over the three year period between 1974 and 1976, the authors review the circumstances surrounding its development, the clinical features and the prognosis of the disorder which remains grave despite a well-defined therapeutic protocol combining surgery, antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen . There would appear to be a real resurgence of the disease at the present time . Post-traumatic and surgical aetiologies predominate, giving rise to two types of gangrene: clostridial gas gangrene secondary to contamined wounds, with a quasi-constant vascular element, affecting predominantly the limbs, and nonclostridrial gangrene, the increasing prevalence of which involves essentially spetic abdomino-pelvic surgery . In the light of this study, prognosis would appear to be related to the underlying terrain in which the gangrene occurs, to certain features of the clinical picture and, above all, to the possibilities of early application of the complete therapeutic protocol . Strict prophylactic measures would alone seem capable of preventign the worrying increase in the number of cases of gas gangrene. Can J Microbiol, 1976 Dec, 22(12), 1728 - 33 A miniaturized counting technique for anaerobic bacteria; Sharpe AN et al.; A miniaturized counting technique gave results as good as the pour-plate and Most Probable Number (MPN) techniques for enumeration of clostridia spp . and anaerobic isolates from the gut . Highest counts were obtained when ascorbic acid (1%) and dithiothreitol (0.015%) were added to the reinforced clostridial medium used for counting . This minimized the effect of exposure to air before incubation . The miniature technique allowed up to 40 samples to be plated and incubated in one McIntosh-Filde's-type anaerobic jar, compared with 3 or 4 by the normal pour plate. J Trauma, 1976 Dec, 16(12), 948 - 53 Marlex mesh in gas gangrene; Long WB 3rd et al.; Clostridial gas gangrene is a well recognized complication of traumatic and surgical wounds, and is associated with an overall mortality rate of 25% (5, 22) . Gas gangrene of a limb results in a mortality rate approximately half that of gas gangrene of the trunk (4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 24) . Radical debridement and antibiotic therapy or high amputation of involved limbs are accepted traditional approaches to the problem . The role and value of hyperbaric oxygenation (OHP) remains controversial despite intense study over the past few decades . Patients with gas gangrene involving all layers of the abdominal wall as well as an extremity pose major resuscitative, operative, supportive, and rehabilitative problems . A report is presented of two such patients with comments on the therapeutic modalities employed. Biochemistry, 1976 Aug 10, 15(16), 3472 - 9 Evidence against an acyl-enzyme intermediate in the reaction catalyzed by clostridial phosphotransacetylase; Henkin J et al.; Clostridial phosphotransacetylase catalyzes acyl group transfer between coenzyme A (CoA) and inorganic phosphate and also the arsenolysis of acetyl-coenzyme A (AcCoA) to yield acetate and CoA-SH . The enzyme mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis corresponds to a molecular weight of 70 000 . Kinetics of both forward and reverse reactions are of the ternary type as previously reported and product inhibition data are consistent with a random binding scheme . One essential sulfhydryl group per 70 000 daltons was inactivated in a pseudo-first-order process by either N-ethylmaleimide or 5,5'-dithiobis (nitrobenzoic acid) . Reduction of the rate of this inactivation by 50% in the presence of AcCoA or acetyl phosphate concentrations near their kinetic K values demonstrates binding of these acyl donors in simple enzyme-substrate complexes . Moreover, pulse-chase experiments show these binary complexes to be functional and also show that they do not dissociate rapidly compared with their rates of catalytic turnover . Incubation of the enzyme with 14C-labeled acyl donors failed to produce labeled protein after passage through Sephadex . This was true despite efforts to mimic "substrate synergism" with desulfo-CoA or to compensate for unfavorable equilibria by means of CoA traps . Very slow isotope exchange reactions of 32Pi into acetyl phosphate and {3H}CoA into AcCoA were at first observed . As in the cases of several other enzymes recently reexamined, these were shown on careful inspection to be artifacts of contamination by second substrates . Attempts to detect exchange reactions between acetyl phosphate and Pi, even in the presence of the CoA analogue, desulfo-CoA, were also unsuccessful . Therefore, no evidence for an acyl-enzyme could be detected . Furthermore, our data allow us to develop arguments which, we believe, indicate that an acyl-enzyme intermediate is extremely improbable in the reaction catalyzed by phosphotransacetylase. Zentralbl Bakteriol {Orig B}, 1976 Jul, 162(3-4), 233 - 87 {Microorganisms in drugs and cosmetics - occurrence, harms and consequences in hygienic manufacturing (author's transl)}; Grigo J; The quantity of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products with different composition and the diversity of contaminating microorganisms set up special problems for each product with its specific field of application . It is not exact to generalize the hazard of contaminating microorganisms to product cathegories . Some product cathegories however are more imperilled to be contaminated with microorganisms and they are more hazardous than other ones . The most important component of the living matter is water that decides on growth, multiplication and survival of microorganisms in drugs and cosmetics . Products with a high content of available water are the most problematic ones . The consequences of survival and multiplication of microorganisms in relation to metabolic activity, pathogenicity and route of administration can be harmless or fatal . The nutritive wants of many microorganisms are very small, even simple salt solutions do not exclude microbial growth . There scarcely exist substrates not used as energy source by any microorganism and so it does not wonder that desinfectants are also used . Added preservatives may be absorbed or inactivated by suspended anorganic components, swelling agents, solubilizers etc., the containers or its closing . In the water phase of emulsions, in which under special conditions smaller amounts of the preservative are available, microorganisms sometimes can multiply . Skin care products neither belonging to pharmaceuticals nor to cosmetics present special clinical problems . Many times creams and lotions contain ingredients metabolized by microorganisms . Ointments and oils can be overgrown only by highly specialized organisms but if there is condensed water as a film at boundary surfaces much more microorganism species can grow . When using cosmetics it must be considered that parts of them will get into the eye . The eye is really endangered by Pseudomonads, which can according to the composition multiply in shampoos and whose contact to the eye can not be excluded . Syrups and solutions contain sugar concentrations, which suppress growth of most microorganisms except osmotolerant germs . Because of their low water content powders normally are protected against microbial growth but they should be free from clostridial spores for a mixture of powder and sweat is a good nutrient medium to Clostridia and fungi . Powders for surgical use must be sterile . Tablets and dragees do not allow microbial multiplication because of their low water activity . Under bad storage conditions a local increase of water content may permit microbial growth at the surface, especially in hygroscopicity . Fortunately there is seen a trend of not using multi-dose-containers for injections because of the high risk of contamination . It is to develop single-dose-containers also for other groups of preparations especially for eye-preparations . Many products microbiologically unobjectionable produced are contaminated in use, they contain the spectrum of microorganisms of the area of application... Ann Surg, 1976 Jul, 184(1), 74 - 9 Evaluation of "instant" preparation of the colon with povidone-iodine; Jones FE et al.; The antimicrobial effect of 20 minutes exposure to 10% povidone-iodine solution and to 5% neomycin-erythromycin solution was evaluated in vitro in 6 suspensions of dog feces . Povidone-iodine eliminated aerobic growth (P less than 0.001) and reduced anaerobes 4.01 +/- 1.06 (P less than 0.02); C . perfringens was the only anaerobic organism grown . Forty unprepared dogs underwent resection of the sigmoid colon and primary anastomosis . Twenty received normal saline and 20 povidone-iodine injected intraluminally immediately before resection . The colon contents of povidone-iodine treated dogs grew only 0.07 +/- 0.07 aerobes and 3.74 +/- 0.49 anaerobes (all Clostridia) (log10/ml colon contents) (P less than 0.001) . All povidone-iodine dogs survived 3 weeks with no anastomotic leaks; three controls died from anastomotic leak within the first week (P = 0.12) . Reexploration of survivors revealed less perianastomotic reaction in the povidone-iodine group . Twenty minutes exposure to povidone-iodine produced a significant decrease in bacterial counts in vitro and in unprepared sigmoid colon . No adverse effects were demonstrated. Am Rev Respir Dis, 1976 Jun, 113(6), 769 - 77 In vitro effects of elastase and collagenase on mechanical properties of hamster lungs; Karlinsky JB et al.; A previous study of hamsters, 21 days after intratracheal treatment with pancreatic elastase, showed development of emphysema, shift of the volume-pressure curve up an to the left, with both air and saline filling, and increase in quasistatic lung compliance . There was also a striking increase in vital capacity and lung volume at transpulmonary pressure of 25 cm H2O (TLC25); however, 21 days after collagenase treatment, there was only a slight increase in TLC25 . The lung volume changes were not consistent with the theory that the collagen fiber network is responsible for limiting distension of the lung . This report considers saline-filled volume-pressure curves studied in excised hamster lungs after incubation with endotracheally instilled pancreatic elastase or clostridial collagenase solutions . Fluid retained in the lungs after the first infusion-withdrawal cycle was significantly greater in lungs treated with elastase than in lungs treated with collagenase or in control lungs . Total fluid volume at full inflation was similar in the 3 groups . Chord compliance of lungs treated with collagenase was greater at high volume range than that in lungs treated with elastase or control lungs; chord compliance of elastase-treated lungs was higher at mid-volume range than that of collagenase-treated or control lungs . The results of these in vitro studies are consistent with the theory of independently functioning elastic and collagen fiber networks, with the latter limiting lung distensibility at high volumes, and the former providing great extensibility at low volumes . Events that are part of the repair process after elastase injury may result in a change in the orientation of collagen in alveolar tissue and appear to account for the differing effects of in vivo and in vitro elastase treatment on the static mechanical properties of the lungs. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1976 May 28, 428(3), 741 - 60 The effects of proteolytic enzymes on the mechanical properties of adult human articular cartilage; Kempson GE et al.; The effects of the lysosomal proteinase cathepsin D on the mechanical properties of adult human articular cartilage were examined in detail in 7 joints within the age range 21 to 72 years . The results of a preliminary study on the effects of the lysosomal proteinase cathepsin B1 and clostridial collagenase on the mechanical properties of cartilage are also presented . Cartilage which had been incubated with either cathepsin D or cathepsin B1 showed increased deformation in uniaxial compression perpendicular to the articular surface . The enzyme-treated cartilage also showed decreased tensile stiffness at low values of stress . This effect was more pronounced in specimens from the deeper zone of cartilage than in specimens from the superficial zone . It was also more pronounced in specimens which were aligned perpendicular to the predominant alignment of the collagen fibres in the superficial zone than in specimens which were parallel to the collagen fibres . At higher stresses the tensile stiffness of the treated cartilage was not significantly different from that of the untreated tissue . The tensile fracture stress of the cartilage was also not significantly reduced by the action of cathepsin D . In contrast to the effects observed with the cathepsins, the preliminary results obtained by incubating cartilage for 24 h with clostridial collagenase showed that both the tensile stiffness and the fracture stress were considerably lower than the corresponding values for the untreated tissue . Biochemical analysis of the incubation media, and the specimens, revealed that a large proportion of the proteoglycans was released from the cartilage by each of the three enzymes . The proportion of the total collagen which was released from the cartilage was different for each enzyme: cathepsin D released between 0 and 1.5 per cent, cathepsin B1 released between 2.3 and 4.3 per cent and collagenase released between 5.3 and 27.8 per cent of the collagen after 24 h. Albrecht Von Graefes Arch Klin Exp Ophthalmol, 1976 May 26, 199(3), 249 - 54 Collagenolysis of rat tail tendons by crude corneal collagenase and clostridiopeptidase A; Prause JU; An experimental apparatus, which uses freshly collected, nondenatured rat tail tendons as substrate against crude corneal collagenase from alkali-burned rabbit corneas and clostridiopeptidase A, is introduced . The apparatus makes it possible to compare the collagenolytic activity of the two enzymes directly on intact connective tissue similar to intact corneal tissue . It was found that the two enzymes were able to reduce the tensile strength of rat tail tendons to less than 100 g in less than 5 h . The two enzymes attacked the tendons in structurally the same manner, estimated from a statistical model . The conclusion drawn is that crude corneal collagenase can degradate intact connective tissue indicating that it can attack the intact cornea. Dis Colon Rectum, 1976 Mar, 19(2), 112 - 9 Gas gangrene infections of the small intestine, colon and rectum; Hitchcock CR et al.; Thirty-three cases of gas gangrene infections originating from the small bowel, colon, and rectum are reviewed . The distinction between localized and diffuse, spreading, types of infection is made . The overall mortality rate was 42.4% and mortality was highest for infections following elective bowel resections . Treatment consisted of antibiotics and surgical debridement, with hyperbaric oxygen used as adjunctive therapy for the more serious cases . The importance of early recognition of clostridial infection is stressed as the key to improved survival. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1976 Mar, 79(3), 661 - 71 Properties of purified hydrogenase from the particulate fraction of Desulfovibrio vulgaris, Miyazaki; Yagi T et al.; The properties of purified hydrogenase {EC 1.12.2.1} solubilized from particulate fraction of sonicated Desulfovibrio vulgaris cells are described . The enzyme was a brownish iron-sulfur protein of molecular weight 89,000, composed of two different subunits (mol . wt.: 28,000 and 59,000), and it contained 7-9 iron atoms and 7-8 labile sulfide ions . Molybdenum was not detected in the preparation . The absorption spectrum of the enzyme was characteristic of iron-sulfur proteins . The millimolar absorbance coefficients of the enzyme were about 164 at 280nm, and 47 at 400nm . The absorption spectrum of the enzyme in the visible region changed upon incubating the enzyme under H2 in the presence of cytochrome c3, but not in its absence . This spectral change was due to the reduction of the enzyme . The absorbance ratio at 400nm of the reduced and the oxidized forms of the enzyme was 0.66 . The activity of the enzyme was hardly affected by metal-complexing agents such as cyanide, azide, 1,10-phenanthroline, etc., except for CO, which was a strong inhibitor of the enzyme . The activity was inhibited by SH-reagents such as p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate . The enzyme was significantly resistant to urea, but susceptible to sodium dodecyl sulfate . These properties were very similar to those of clostridial hydrogenase {EC 1.12.7.1}, in spite of differences in the acceptor specificity and subunit structure. Dis Colon Rectum, 1976 Mar, 19(2), 107 - 11 Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis; Yale CE et al.; Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is an uncommon disease of previously unknown etiology, characterized by the presence of gas-filled cysts in the walls of some portion of the gastrointestinal tract . This investigation showed that PCI was readily produced in the germfree rat by inoculating its peritoneal cavity with a pure culture of either C . perfringens or C . tertium . Similar inoculation of the germfree animal with any one of eight other clostridia species did not result in the formation of PCI . The bacterial theory for the formation of at least some cases of PCI is now established . This work suggests that part of the treatment of those fulminating diseases known to be frequently associated with PCI should be directed at controlling a possible clostridial infection. Vet Rec, 1976 Feb 21, 98(8), 151 - 2 Intestinal flora studies in rabbit mucoid enteritis; Sinkovics G; The clinical and bacteriological examination of spontaneous and experimental cases of mucoid enteritis on a large rabbit farm indicated that the mucin accumulations in the colon are a consequence of constipation . This opinion is supported by the results obtained following ligation of the proximal colon . These findings suggest that rabbit mucoid enteritis is not a specific disease entity but a general response to the factors which cause constipation . Studies of the bacterial flora of the gut in spontaneous and experimental cases suggest that while there is a notable increase in the number of coliforms and clostridia over the healthy controls, these organisms only play a secondary role. Wien Klin Wochenschr, 1976 Feb 20, 88(4), 141 - 4 {Further experimental investigations on the therapy of gas gangrene with ozone and oxygen (author's transl)}; Stanek VG et al.; In continuation of a recently-published investigation on the effect of intramuscular injections of an ozone-oxygen mixture on experimental gas gangrene in the guinea pig, 2 additional experiments were performed in order to establish the efficacy of the therapy when given twice daily instead of only once . Futhermore, the effect of an analogous therapy was investigated with the use of pure oxygen . The ozone-oxygen therapy reduced the death rate from 100% in untreated control animals to 73.6 and 70.0%, respectively, in the 2 series of experiments . The median survival times were prolonged from 0.56 and 1.33 days to 5.50 and 6.66 days . The use of oxygen twice daily reduced the death rates significantly even further to 57.0 and 47.9% . With this therapy the median survival time was increased to 8 and more than 12 days . The differences in therapeutic effect of the 2 gases were not, however, statistically significant . On account of its simple applicability previous experiments on animals it is proposed that this therapy be employed also in cases of human gas gangrene . In addition, the bactericidal effect of CaCl2, as used in this experimental study, on vegetative forms of Clostridia is demonstrated. Br Med J, 1976 Feb 7, 1(6005), 318 - 21 Metronidazole in prevention and treatment of bacteroides infections after appendicectomy; Willis AT et al.; The frequency of non-clostridial anaerobic infection was studied in 95 patients who had undergone acute appendicectomy: 49 received prophylactic metronidazole and 46 received placebo . Anaerobic infection did not develop in any of the metronidazole-treated patients, but infections did develop in nine (19%) of the 46 controls . Metronidazole is conveniently administered by suppository to patients who cannot take oral drugs . Five patients with intra-abdominal infections caused by non-clostridial anaerobes were successfully treated with metronidazole. J Trauma, 1976 Feb, 16(2), 106 - 10 Gas gangrene complicating limb trauma; Kerner M et al.; A consecutive series of 18 patients with clostridial myonecrosis has been reviewed . The two deaths were attributed to other causes . A treatment regimen including repeated debridement and excision of all non-viable tissue, and therapeutic antibiotics is outlined . Hyperbaric oxygenation has been omitted from our treatment program. Ann Nutr Aliment, 1976, 30(5-6), 789 - 92 {Use of nitrates in cheese-making}; Devoyod JJ; In the technology of semi-hard cheeses, nitrate is added to prevent thelate-blowing defect due to the growth of Clostridia . In normal technological conditions no risks must be encountered by the consumer . But if whey is re-used for feeding the amount of nitrate and nitrite in the whey must be controlled. Dev Biol Stand, 1976, 32, 259 - 63 {Determination and the trial of a polyvalent anatoxin against clostridiosis of the sheep}; Kagan FI et al.; Description of the preparation and composition of a new type of polyvalent vaccine against bradsot, infectious enterotoxemia and malignant edema (necrotic hepatitis) of sheep as well as dysentery of lambs . This vaccine is a formolized polyanatoxin obtained after centrifugation, purification and concentration of the toxins followed by formolization and adsorption on aluminum hydroxyde . The serum antibody titers are much higher than after utilizing the usual vaccines and the period of immunity in the sheep is considerably extended. Dev Biol Stand, 1976, 32, 251 - 7 The assay of clostridial vaccines in mice; Knight PA et al.; The proposed establishment of a multicomponent clostridial standard vaccine inevitably raises the question of how such a preparation might be used in the standardization of batches of vaccine . Traditional multipoint parallel line assays based on the antitoxin responses of rabbits and guinea pigs are likely to prove prohibitively costly, whilst simpler methods based on single dose levels of either vaccine fail to quantitate the relationship between test vaccine and standard. Dev Biol Stand, 1976, 32, 167 - 72 Potency testing of Cl . sordellii bacterin-toxoids by means of a mouse protection test; Haas HF; A potency assay method involving mouse protection against spore challenge has been developed and used, since 1967, for the potency testing of the Cl . sordellii component of several multivalent clostridial bacterins . The mouse test results obtained with several experimental bacterin formulations are presented along with other test data concerning the relationship of alpha antitoxin response and protection in guinea pigs and cattle. Arch Geschwulstforsch, 1976, 46(4), 261 - 70 Inhibition of subcutaneous Ehrlich carcinoma by antihuman-somatotropic hormone serum of the horse as determined by the tumour-tetanus assay of the mouse; Lazarev AF et al.; Utilizing a quantitative tumour tetanus assay of the mouse it could be shown that antisomatotropic hormone serum of the horse exerts protective effects against solid Ehrlich carcinoma of the subcutaneous tissue and concomitantly, against tetanus mortality rates as an indicator of tumour growth . The positive correlation of the inhibitory action of antisomatotropic hormone serum against both transplantable tumour cells and subcutaneous regenerative tissue as a control lends further support to the assumption that a selective mechanism interrelates proliferative mammalian cell populations and multiplying toxinogenic clostridia, thus stimulating a new field of application of antisomatotropic hormone serum. Acta Chir Scand, 1976, 142(4), 339 - 41 Acute segmental gastro-intestinal gangrene probably of clostridial origin . Report of a case; Watt-Boolsen S et al.; A 29-year-old female suffering from acute terminal ileitis was subjected to laparotomy undertaken on the tentative diagnosis of acute appendicitis . The appendix was found to be normal and was removed . The course was complicated with segmental gastro-intestinal gangrene with fatal outcome . The involvement of histotoxic clostridial infection as a causative factor is discussed. Dev Biol Stand, 1976, 32, 3 - 14 An international survey of clostridial sera and vaccines; Davidson I; The papers present the results of a survey of the usage, assay and specification of veterinary clostridial sera and vaccines in 23 countries . Thirteen of the countries use up to 8 different antisera . All the countries use vaccines, which are prepared from 13 species and types of clostridia . Vaccines containing up to 8 such components are commonly employed . Criteria for the design and interpretation of assays are discussed and evidence for efficacy summarized. Conn Med, 1975 Dec, 39(12), 773 - 4 Post-abortal tetanus; Newman C et al.; PIP: A 19-year-old Negro female, gravida 2, para 1, was presented at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados, West Indies with difficulty opening her mouth; bleeding, and spasms of the skeletal muscles . A week before, she had undergone an illegal abortion performed by a friend . Curettage; tracheostomy; and passage of a nasogastric tube under general anesthesia were performed after admission . Antitetanus serus; high doses of diazepam; promazine for sedation; and antibiotics were administered . Curarization; assisted ventilation; and maintenance of nutrition through parental fluids were observed . Bilateral pneumothorax; tachycardia; and hypotension complicated the patient's course . The patient was discharged on the 40th day of hospitalization and was advised to visit the medical and gynecology clinic for follow-up examination and completion of tetanus immunization . Factors critical in the management of postabortal tetanus patients include: 1) recognition of classical signs of trismus; risus sardonicus; dysphagia and increased muscular tone and spasms; 2) use of antitetanus serum after sensitivity testing; 3) antibiotic coverage for clostridia and anaerobic organisms; 4) tracheostomy; curarization and assisted ventilation where necessary; 5) continuous medical and nursing care in a quiet room; 6) adequate hydration and nutrition; 7) treatment of site of injury, and curettage where necessary; 8) hysterectomy where necessary; and 9) post treatment immunization . Surg Clin North Am, 1975 Dec, 55(6), 1297 - 1302 Etiology of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis; Yale CE; Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is an uncommon condition of previously unknown etiology . Experimental work is discussed which proves that either one of at least two clostridial species can produce PCI after relatively atraumatic contamination of the peritoneal cavity of germfree animals . This work strongly supports the bacterial etiology of PCI . It further suggests that vigorous and early treatment be directed toward control of the clostridial organisms in those cases where fulminating conditions associated with PCI are present. Surg Clin North Am, 1975 Dec, 55(6), 1289 - 96 Gas in the wound: what does it mean? Nichols RL, Smith JW. Gas-forming infections on the surgical service are usually due to anaerobic microorganisms such as clostridia, peptostreptococci or bacteroides, or to one of the aerobic coliforms . Factors that predispose to the development of gas infections include lower extremity vascular disease and diabetes mellitus . Early treatment based on the inital Gram-stain study as well as the clinical presentation is helpful in reducing tissue losses and increasing overall survival . Treatment for nonclostridial gas infections includes prompt adequate surgical debridement and appropriate parenteral antibiotics . When available, hyperbaric oxygen should be added to the treatment plan in all extensive clostridial infections. J Bacteriol, 1975 Nov, 124(2), 884 - 92 Polypeptide nature of growth requirement in yeast extract for Thermoplasma acidophilum; Smith PF et al.; The active component(s) in yeast extract required by Thermoplasma acidophilum for growth is polypeptide in nature . A fraction from yeast extract was isolated and partially characterized as one or more peptides of molecular weight about 1,000 containing 8 to 10 amino acids . Although it was composed largely of basic and dicarboxylic amino acids, only one amino group per molecule was free . The polypeptide(s) appeared to bind avidly to cations . No other organic compounds except glucose were needed by Thermoplasma . Among several hundred known compounds tested, only glutathione plus Fe2+ or Fe3+, clostridial ferredoxin, and spinach ferredoxin elicited any growth response. Z Krebsforsch Klin Onkol Cancer Res Clin Oncol, 1975 Oct 27, 84(2), 203 - 6 The kininase activity of Ehrlichs' ascites solid tumor after treatment with oncolytic clostridia; Fischer G et al.; For the first time the effect of bacterial kininases of Cl . oncolyticum M 55 ATCC 13.732 could be demonstrated in the tumor itself . This is shown by an increased degradation of kinins by spore-treated tumor tissue in comparison with respective controls . The results indicate the influence of kininases on the capillary circulation of the tumor tissue as one of the fundamental reactions of oncolysis. J Gen Microbiol, 1975 Oct, 90(2), 286 - 92 Keto acid metabolism in Desulfovibrio; Lewis AJ et al.; Four strains of Desulfovibrio each excreted pyruvate to a constant level during growth; it was re-absorbed when the substrate (lactate) was exhausted . Malate, succinate, fumarate and malonate also accumulated during growth . One of the strains (Hildenborough) excreted alpha-ketoglutarate as well as pyruvate when incubated in nitrogen-free medium; the former was re-absorbed on addition of NH4Cl . In a low-lactate nitrogen-free medium, strain Hildenborough rapidly re-absorbed the pyruvate initially excreted, but did not re-absorb the alpha-ketoglutarate . Arsenite (I mM) prevented the accumulation of alpha-ketoglutarate; I mM-malonate did not affect the accumulation of keto acids . Isocitrate dehydrogenase activity (NAD-specific) in all strains was lower than NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase activity . Alpha-Ketoglutarate dehydrogenase could not be detected in any strain . NADPH oxidase activity was demonstrated . This and previous work indicate that a tricarboxylic acid pathway from citrate to alpha-ketoglutarate exists in Desulfovibrio spp., and that succinate can be synthesized via malate and fumarate; however, an intact tricarboxylic acid cycle is evidently not present . The findings are compared with observations on biosynthetic pathways in clostridia, obligate lithotrophs, phototrophs, and methylotrophs, and various facultative bacteria. Orthop Clin North Am, 1975 Oct, 6(4), 1049 - 56 Anaerobic infections; Sim FH; An increased awareness of the importance of anaerobic organisms in human infections and improvements in culture techniques are probably responsible for the apparent increasing incidence of anaerobic infections . Clostridial infections are medical emergencies . Prevention is the first step in treatment, and close adherence to the well-established prinicples of trauma surgery with thorough debridement of all devitalized and necrotic tissue is of paramount importance. JAMA, 1975 Sep 1, 233(9), 958 - 63 Nonclostridial gas gangrene . Report of 48 cases and review of the literature; Bessman AN et al.; Gangrenous lesions accompanied by evidence of subcutaneous gas usually are diagnosed as "clostridial gas gangrene." The occurrence of nonclostridial gas gangrene has been infrequently reported and is thought to be relatively rare . Review of 278 admissions of diabetic patients with orthopedic vascular problems disclosed a 17% (48 patients) incidence of nonclostridial gas infections and a 3% (one patient) occurrence of clostridial gas gangrene . Clinical characteristics ranged from severe to benign toxicity . Appreciation of the causative organisms (usually mixed Gram-negative rod and enterococcus) of this syndrome is essential, especially in the diabetic patient, since appropriate antibiotic therapy and surgery can result in a low mortality (4%) and a high incidence (80%) of ambulatory, independent patients. Antibiotiki, 1975 Sep, (9), 829 - 33 {Rifampicin effectiveness in experimental anaerobic gas infection}; Poliak MS; The inhibitory effect of rifampicin against most of 82 strains of pathogenic Clostridia was evident at a concentration of less than 0.1 gamma/ml . The bactericidal concentrations were close to the bacteriostatic ones with respect to 74 strains . The protective effect of rifampicin in mice with experimental anaerobic gaseous infaction caused by different species of pathogenic Clostridia was evident at doses of 0.5 mg/kg . In infections caused by associations of Clostridia and Staph . aureus resistant to other antibiotics, rifampicin was effective, while ampicillin had no protective effect . Rifampicin administered 24 to 96 hours before the infection prevented the specific process . A number of other antibiotics, such as ampicillin, cephaloridin, morphocycline and 7-chlor-7-desoxylincomycin had no such a capacity . The prolonged prophylactic effect of rifampicin was associated with maintenance of low antibiotic levels in the blood and muscle tissues which were higher than the minimum inhibitory concentrations . The effect of rifampicin against the background of a rapidly developing process was less pronounced and limited in time. Jpn J Med Sci Biol, 1975 Aug, 28(4), 201 - 13 Clostridia in soil of the Antarctica; Miwa T; From the soil in the area around the Syowa Station, the East Ongul Island, the Antarctica, a total of 193 strains of clostridia were isolated and identified . It was surprising that the soil samples taken from the places which were considered to be scarcely contaminated by human beings and animals contained many clostridia . One hundred and fifty-five strains were assigned to 11 species, including C . perfringens, C . bifermentans, C . sordellii, C . sporogenes, C . plagarum, C . paraperfringens, C . septicum, C . tertium, C . cadaveris, C . butyricum and C . felsineum, but 38 strains remained unidentified . C . perfringens, C . bifermentans and C . sordellii were isolated very frequently and C . sporogenes less frequently . All the strains of C . sordellii were nonpathogenic and had almost the same characteristics as those of C . bifermentans except for the attitude in the urease test . The peculiar distribution and characteristics of the clostridia in the Antarctic soil were discussed in comparison with those found in the soil in Japan. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1975 Aug 1, 122(7), 891 - 901 Anaerobic infections of the female genital tract; Sweet RL; Anaerobic bacterial organisms are a frequent cause of female genital tract infections . There has been a lack of appreciation of the significant role anaerobes play in obstetric and gynecologic infections . Utilization of newer appropriate anaerobic culture techniques has shown the importance of these organisms as pathogens in serious infections of the genital tract . Many species of anaerobic bacteria appear to be part of the normal microflora of the lower genital tract in female subjects . Similar organisms are frequently isolated from pelvic infections . Bacteroides, anaerobic cocci, and Clostridia are the most commonly isolated anaerobes associated with clinical infections . The clinician must recognize the presence of anaerobic infections, utilize proper anaerobic culture methods, and institute appropriate antibiotic and/or surgical therapy. Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1975 Jul 2, 161(3), 145 - 54 Extracellular proteins in five clostridial species from human infections; Nord CE et al.; 347 strains from human infections were identified by gas-liquid chromatography of metabolic products and by conventional tests . Simple agar-plate assays were used to analyze the ability to form extracellular proteins . More than 90% of all strains were hemolytic on agar containing rabbit erythrocytes and all were gelatinase producers . All strains of C . bifermantans, C . sordelli, and C . sporogenes were also caseinolytic on skimmed-milk agar, but strains of C . perfringens, C . novyi types A and B were not . Less than 10% of C . perfringens strains were producers of elastase and staphylolytic enzyme and all other species were non-producers . All C . perfringens, C . novyii, C . bifermentans, and C . sordelli were lecithinase producers, but C . sporogenes was not . All strains of C . sporogenes formed deoxyribonuclease, while a varying number of the other species showed a positive reaction. J Immunol, 1975 Jun, 114(6), 1757 - 60 Functional studies of Peyer's patches: evidence for their participation in intestinal immune responses; Muller-Schoop JW et al.; The pattern of responsiveness of lymphocytes from Peyer's patches, spleen, mesenteric, and inguinal nodes of guinea pigs was compared after oral and parenteral immunization . After oral immunization with BCG, Peyer's patch lymphocytes showed the best in vitro proliferative responses to PPD (tuberculin) . Responsiveness to Clostridia, normal constituents of the intestinal microflora, also was significant in Peyer's patches, and low or absent in the other lymphoid tissues examined . In animals immunized parenterally with heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis, lymphocytes from the spleen reacted best to PPD and those from Peyer's patches least . Selective elimination of B or T cells from PPD-reactive Peter's patch lymphocyte populations showed that the T-cell-rich fraction remained responsive to PPD, the B cell-rich fraction became unresponsive; but both fractions reacted to Clostridia . We conclude from this experiment that a functional T cell population is present in these organs . Peyer's patches in the guinea pig are immunocompetent lymphoid organs which seem to be primarily engaged in immune responses to antigens presented from the intestinal lumen. Antibiotiki, 1975 Jun, 20(7), 628 - 32 {Sensitivity of pathogenic clostridia to antibiotics}; Poliak MS; By the sensitivity levels of the gas infection causative agents, i . e . pathogenic Clostridia to antibiotics, the latter were conditionally divided into 4 groups . The 1st group included the most active antibiotics, such as tetracyclines,, penicillins, cephalosporins, rifampicin, 7-chlor-7-desoxylincomycin . Their minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations did not usually exceed 2 gamma/ml . For most of the strains the inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations amounted to the tenth and hundredth fractions of gamma/ml . The antibiotics of the 2nd group, i . e . erythromycin, lincomycin,ristomycin and levomycetin inhibited multiplication and viability of pathogenic Clostridia in concentrations of 20 gamma/ml . Erythromycin was most active among them The 3rd group consisted of oleandomycin, novobiocin, geliomycin and azalomycin, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of them being 20 to 50 gamma/ml . The antibiotics of the 4th group, i . e . neomycin, monomycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, polymyxin and others affected pathogenic Clostridia at very high concentrations, amounting to the hundrenth and thousandth of gamma/ml. J Clin Invest, 1975 Mar, 55(3), 543 - 50 Collagen in the human lung . Quantitation of rates of synthesis and partial characterization of composition; Bradley K et al.; The presence of collagen in lung is fundamental in normal lung structure and function . Methods have been developed to examine human fetal and adult lung collagen with respect to its composition and synthesis . The second trimester fetal lung has a large number of cells per unit lung mass (36.6 plus or minus 2.7 mug DNA/mg dry wt) and relatively small amounts of collagen (17.0 plus or minus 5.3 mug collagen/mg dry wt) . The number of cells per unit lung mass in the adult lung (11.1 plus or minus 3.4 mug DNA/mg dry wt) is 30% of the number of cells in the fetal lung, but the adult has 11 times more collagen (196 plus or minus 25 mug collagen/mg dry wt) . The composition of fetal lung collagen can be partially characterized by extraction with salt at neutral pH, acetic acid, or guanidine . The extracted chains, representing 10% of the total lung collagen, chromatograph as alpha1 and alpha2 chains, each with a mol wt of 100,000 and an animo acid composition characteristic for collagen but not specific for lung . Short-term explant cultures of fetal and adult lung synthesize alpha chains which can be isolated by ion-exchange chromatography . These chains, representing 30-40% of the total collagen synthesized by the explants, coelectrophorese with extracted collagen chains on acrylamide gels: they are destroyed by clostridial collagenase and they have a mol wt of 100,000 . Although the composition of the collagen synthesized by these explants can be only partially characterized, the rate of synthesis of both collagen and noncollagen protein can be quantitated . In fetal lung, 4.0 plus or minus 1.2% of the amino acids incorporated into protein per hour are incorporated into collagen . In normal adult lung, this percentage (4.2 plus or minus 0.9%) is remarkably similar . These values are almost identical to the relative rate of collagen synthesis in rabbit lung in the same age range . This technology should be applicable to answer specific questions regarding collagen synthesis and degradation in human lung disease. Arch Geschwulstforsch, 1975, 45(8), 795 - 801 {Action of clostridial spores on transplantation tumors in alloxan-diabetic rats (author's transl)}; Ludewig R et al.; With the intention to improve the up to now unsatisfying effectiveness of tumour treatment by clostridial spores, the influence of Alloxan-induced hyperlglycemia on clostridial therapy in two transplantable tumours of the rat are examined . Contrary to the isolated clostridial application the combined treatment causes a significant improvement of therapeutic effects (tumour-necrosis and -liquefaction, decreased growth-rate-quotient) . The examination of antibody titers against clostridial rods shows in animals with Alloxan-diabetes a more early and more powerful increase in comparison with the isolated clostridial application . The importance of these results for therapy and serological diagnosis of malignant tumours is discussed. Folia Histochem Cytochem (Krakow), 1975, 13(3-4), 123 - 8 Histochemical and electron microscopical studies of skeletal muscle affected by gas gangrene; Jozsa L; Ultrastructural and histochemical changes of skeletal muscle were studied in three patients affected with gas gangrene . There was complete lack of the phosphorylase, succinate dehydrogenase and adenosine triphosphatase activities in the affected muscles of all the patients . In unaffected muscles these enzymes showed weaker activities than in norm . The lactate dehydrogenase activity, especially the heart type isozyme (LDH-1 or H4) proved less sensitive to the effect of clostridial toxin . A general increase in the acid phosphatase activity was found both in affected and in unaffected muscles . On electron microscopic examination damage to sarcolemmal membrane and disintegration of myofilaments was seen . The mitochondria were swollen and their cristae distorted and fragmented. J Clin Microbiol, 1975 Jan, 1(1), 15 - 24 Comparison of three procedures for biochemical testing of anaerobic bacteria; Moore HB et al.; The Analytab Products, Inc . (API), anaerobic multitest microsystem (MICRO) was compared with the Center for Disease Control conventional (CONV) thioglycolate (supplemented with hemin and vitamin K1) system and with pre-reduced anaerobically sterilized (PRAS) media as recommended by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute . Growth from a solid medium was suspended to produce standard inocula . Substrates included 16 carbohydrates, indole, urea, gelatin, and esculin . API strips were inoculated in air and incubated in GasPak (BBL) jars . MICRO tests were read at 1 and 2 days . CONV tests at 1, 2, and 7 days, and PRAS tests at 3 weeks . One hundred thirty well-characterized strains of anaerobes (76 gram-negative rods, 16 cocci, 26 gram-positive nonsporeforming rods, and 12 clostridia), including 48 reference strains, were studied . Of 2,600 tests performed, 2,085 (80.2%) showed agreement with all three methods . There was 90.9% agreement between the MICRO and CONV, 84.9% between the MICRO and PRAS, and 84.6% between the CONV and PRAS tests . All MICRO tests were reliable except for indole, which was not sensitive enough, and gelatin, which was very insensitive . The MICRO system permits performance of biochemical tests at the workbench in the average clinical laboratory without the need for expensive equipment and time-consuming procedures. Acta Chir Scand, 1975, 141(7), 582 - 9 Differential diagnosis and treatment of gas-producing infections; Hedstrom SA; During an 8-year period, 30 patients with gas-producing infections were admitted for treatment of hyperbaric oxygen . Infection was a consequence of trauma and operation in 26 cases and a complication of other diseases in 4 cases . The definitive diagnoses were clostridial myositis in 12 cases, clostridial cellulitis in 7, non-clostridial cellulitis in 9 (mainly E . coli infections); in 2 cases the diagnoses were uncertain . Six cases of E . coli infection were misinterpreted as myositis and were treated with hyperbaric oxygen at 3 atm . abs . without effect . Five of these cases were cured by antibiotic therapy and surgical drainage . The risk of hyperbaric oxygen at 3 atm . abs . necessitates a strong indication for this kind of treatment . Thirteen cases of clostridial infections (2 with cellulitis, 11 with myositis) were successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen except in 2 cases of myositis . Helpful data for the plausible diagnosis clostridial myositis in the acute stage were: a typical clinical picture with rapid progress of the local necrosis and inflammatory reaction, roentgenographically demonstrable intramuscular gas, and abundance of gram-positive rods in exudate from the inflammation . Laboratory data had a limited value . In some cases of clostridial myositis, a fall of hemoglobin to low values (less than 7.5 g%) was seen in the first 24 hours and high values of hemoglobin/plasma were noted in 4 cases . Incidents of side-effects from hyperbaric oxygen treatment were frequent but only a few were serious and these subsided during a short interruption of the treatment. Arch Geschwulstforsch, 1975, 45(1), 3 - 15 {The tumor-tetanus assay--experimental studies on the biological differentiation between carcinogenesis and organ regeneration of the rat (author's transl)}; Schneeweiss U et al.; The characteristic clostridial growth which is testable, after systemic administration of tetanus spores, as a positive tumour tetanus - correlation, was manifested by a highly selective tetanus lethality of rats with progressive hepatomas following induction with dimethylaminoazobenzene and diethylnitrosamine, respectively, as well as with methylcholanthren-induced fibrosarcomas of the rat . Control tumours with transplantable Walker carcinoma cells anYoshida sarcoma cells also developed tetanus most frequently whereas healthy tumour-free rats did not show any signs of tetanus for the period of observation . There was strict time-dose-relationship of tetanus after partial hepatectomy, using the same injection technique of the spores, in sofar as the spores injected 24 hours postoperatively caused tetanus as opposed to the completely negative results following spore administration 4 days postoperatively . The mean tetanus survival time of the rats with regeneration of the liver roughly corresponded to that of the wound regeneration assay using pregant rats post partum . The interpretation of these results allows for demonstrating a fairly good agreement between the growth capacity of tumour cells on the one hand and the permanently strong tetanus reactivity on the other, as compared with the time-limited "take" and course of tetanus following regeneration of the liver. Res Vet Sci, 1975 Jan, 18(1), 70 - 5 The relation between the rabbit potency test and the response of sheep to sheep clostridial vaccines; Frerichs GN et al.; Six commercially available clostridial vaccines comprising one oil-emulsion, two alum-precipitated and three aluminum hydroxide adjuvanted preparations, each containing between two and seven antigenic components, were administered to groups of 10 rabbits and eight sheep in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations . Serum antitoxic values to Cl welchii beta, Cl welchii epsilon, Cl septicum, Cl oedematins and Cl tetani toxins were determined 14 days after completion of each vaccination course . The overall pattern of mean antitoxic values was found to be similar in sheep and rabbits, a vaccine eliciting a comparatively high antibody titre to any given antigen component in sheep also inducing a comparatively high titre in the corresponding group of rabbits . Similarly, comparatively poor responses in sheep were associated with poor responses in rabbits . The degree of variation in response within groups of animals was greater in sheep than in rabbits for all five antigenic components assayed . Sheep consistently developed higher titres than rabbits to Cl oedematins component but consistently lower titres to both Cl welchii beta and epsilon components irrespective of the type of vaccine used . The response of both species to Cl tetani antigen was similar in terms of serum antitoxic values . It was concluded that rabbits provide a suitable model for the assessment of potency of sheep clostridial vaccines. Surgery, 1975 Jan, 77(1), 75 - 85 Experimental and clinical experience with hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of clostridial myonecrosis; Holland JA et al.; At Duke University Medical Center, 49 patients with proved clostridial myonecrosis were treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) during the past 10 years . Survival in patients with involvement confined to the extremities was 92.3 percent . Survival in patients with combined involvement of extremity and trunk was 53-3 percent, and with primary trunk involvement half of the patients survived . Survival for the entire series was 73.5 percent . Among the 28 patients receiving at least five HBO treatments, 24 survived . Extensive experimental studies were conducted during this same period including in vitro testing and in vivo experimental infections with C . perfringens . Data from the experimental models of gas gangrene indicate a therapeutic benefit with HBO by significantly decreasing both mortality and morbidity rates . The mechanism of action for this appears to be complex but probably includes a direct bactericidal action, bacteriostasis, inhibition of toxin production, and improvement in tissue oxygenation . In the absence of a controlled study, the therapeutic efficacy of HBO in the treatment of clostridial myonecrosis is not fully proved . Nevertheless HBO treatment can be recommended on the bases of sound experimental evidence and the results of favorable clinical experience . Mitigation of this severe but infrequent illness can best be accomplished through prevention, with strict adherence to the principles of wound care.
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